Video: The Next Step - Towards Fukushima's Future, Together

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has prepared a PR video titled "The Next Step - Towards Fukushima's Future, Together" and preleased it on YouTube METI-Channel on March 1, 2018. The video aims to convey to the public the current situation of reconstruction of Fukushima Prefecture, devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accident at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, in particular, concerning 12 municipalities severely devastated, namely Iidate Village, Okuma Town, Katsurao Village, Kawauchi Village, Kawamata Town, Tamura City, Tomioka Town, Namie Town, Naraha Town, Hirono Town, Futaba Town, and Minamisoma City.

Video clip: Fukushima Today

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has produced a short video clip on the current situation in Fukushima, in collaboration with the Support Team for Residents Affected by Nuclear Incidents under the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters under the Cabinet Office.
This video provides an easy-to-understand look into life in Fukushima today from a variety of perspectives, including the current status of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and the progress of various measures toward decommissioning, the improvements in the work environment at the actual decommissioning sites, the aid for residents affected by the nuclear incident and measures for securing food safety.

The decontamination process is completed by the end of May 2015, except for the water contaminated during the initial period of the accident itself.
The water which has undergone strontium removal will then also be treated by the multi-nuclide removal equipment as the second decontamination process.
(The process is estimated to be finished following the completion of decontamination of the contaminated water stored in the tanks.)

Removal of highly contaminated water in theunderground tunnels (trenches) on the sea side of the building

Completed

Removal of the highly contaminated water from the trenches and filling the trenches with filling material were completed in August 2015.

Isolate water from contamination

Pumping from the well on the land-side of the building into the sea (groundwater bypassing system)

Completed / In operation

Drainage started in late May 2014.

Pumping of ground water fromwells around buildings (sub-drains) and draining of the water to the sea after decontamination

Completed / In operation

Drainage of water started on September 14, 2015.

Installation ofland-side impermeable frozen walls

In operation

Freezing operation started in March 2016.

Waterproof pavement to prevent groundwater inflow

Ongoing

Paving of the FY2015 target areas, accounting for 90% of the planned site, completed as scheduled.

Prevent leakage of contaminated water

Heightening and doubling of tank fences

Completed /In operation

Completed in the middle of July 2014.Their efficacy was proved when a typhoon struck in the autumn of 2014.

Ground improvementby sodium silicate (water glass)

Completed /In operation

Completed in March 2014.

Installation ofsea-side impermeable walls

Completed

Sea-side impermeable walls were completed in October 2015.

Increase the number of tanks

In operation (under further maintenance)

800,000 tons of tank capacity was secured during FY 2014, two years earlier than the time projected in the previous Mid- and Long-Term Roadmap.

Countermeasures to Manage Contaminated Water

Click the map for details.

Efforts made for decommissioning

Fuel removal from the spent fuel pool (SFP) at Unit 4

Concerning the Unit 4 SFP, which was said to have the highest risk among all SFPs at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, the transfer of 1535 fuel rods from the SFP (including 204 unused fuel rods) to facilities such as the common pool within the power station site* was completed.
(*Note: Some of the unused fuel rods were moved to the Unit 6 SFP, where no accident had occurred.)
The fuel removal began on November 18, 2013. The transfer of high-risk spent fuel was completed on November 5, 2014. The transfer of all spent fuel was completed on December 22, 2014.

Dismantling of the Unit 1 R/B cover and removal of rubble

Concerning the Unit 1 R/B, it is necessary to remove the rubble that has accumulated in the upper portion of the Unit 1 R/B, in order to remove the fuel in the SFP. Therefore, currently, the R/B cover is being dismantled.
The R/B cover will be steadily dismantled, with anti-scattering measures such as the spraying of anti-scattering agents fully implemented and radioactive materials monitored.

Progress of the removal of large pieces of rubble inside the Unit 3 SFP

Concerning the Unit 3 R/B, the removal of rubble that fell into the SFP is proceeding before removing the fuel in the SFP. On August 2, 2015, the removal of the largest pieces of rubble that had been present in the SFP (with a fuel-handling machine) was completed.
Putting the highest priority on the improvement of safety at the time of construction work and the reduction of the exposure for workers, a portion of the cover for fuel removal used for removing fuel rods was assembled in Onahama, Iwaki City, which is located around 60 km away from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. After removal of the rubble is completed, the cover for fuel removal is to be carried in, and a fuel-handling machine is to be installed.

Technological development for decommissioning

R&D toward retrieval of Debris

To see detailed information for each technology, click the boxes.

Other Efforts for Decommissioning

Development of a Research Base

In order to establish technological infrastructure for the development and demonstrations of remotely controlled equipment indispensable for proceeding with the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi NPS, and for the research and analysis of radioactive materials, as well as to facilitate joint research with domestic and foreign research institutes, develop a base for related research activities within Fukushima prefecture